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Princess Academy | July 25, 2012

by Shannon Hale (Bloomsbury, Apr. 2007)

I practically jumped out of my seat as soon as I heard that Shannon Hale had written a sequel to her Newbery Honor book, Princess Academy. In Palace of Stone, Miri leaves Mount Eskel and moves to capital to attend university and help Britta prepare for her royal wedding–and it is so much bigger than she could have imagined.

Princess Academy is about Miri gaining and learning the value of an education–writing, politics, mathematics, diplomacy, and trade. Moreso, she develops a rapport among fellow classmates, one of my favorite examples of female friendship ever. Palace of Stone puts both of these to the test: with exposure to a mosaic of people and ideas, some of them very different from her own, Miri must find where she stands—does she stay loyal to the princess, or side with her new friends? More alarming yet, the susurrus of unrest spreads throughout the city’s salons, echoing the sentiments of the French Revolution. Shannon Hale has crafted a beautiful follow-up story that feels just as fresh and warm as the first. As for Miri, I love how she grew into a strong young woman, more confident in her skills and abilities, and I can only hope there are more adventures in her future.

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